The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-06

which he had ordered from the florist in the
morning to present to Pauline, The two
boys after kissing their mother again, left
the house
Pauline was the only full graduate of her
class, and, as she came forward to read her
essay, every eye was fastened admirlngly
upon the lovely, air-haired girl, who was
airayed in white. She made graceful,
modest bow, and in slow, distinct tones an
nounced as her subject: ''My Ideal Hero
Then she paused, and her eyes wandered
timidly, anxiously over the mass of heads,
but nowhere in the audience did her gaze
fall upon the fine, youthful heal of him she
loved He had not comel She drew sick
at heart, and tears of bitter disappointment
sprang to her eyes. But at that moment
the main door opened, and second later
Virgil followed by his little brother, en-
tered, bearing in his right hand a basket of
flowers-6owers for her! Oh, how joy
ously her young heart throbbedl He
glanced toward her, and mournful smile
bro over his face-a sunbeam, as it were,
that had tremblingly forced its way
through a mass of dark, threatening
clouds But she noted not the drearineSs
of the smile She only knew he had
smiled, and with heart overtiowing with
JOY, she turned to her manuscript and be-
gan her valedictory. Sh begged her audi
tors not to think her unmaidenly for having
selected such a subject. Then smilingly she
declared that her hero did not belong to that
class OF men whose herosrn is reckoned by
thd plumber of poor Indians hey slay nor
did he belong to that kind that Salmagundi
styles ''tea-table heroes. She recolled in
terror from hero of the former class she
turned away in disgust from one of the lat
ter; she could never trust herself with so
bloodthirsty fellow as the Indian slayer:
and she would struggle on through the
years, minated and unloved, save by the
feline race. and approach her grave in the
honorable but uncoveted robes of the spin
ster sooner than lean through life upon so
slender and wavering a reed as the man
who fawns at the feet of the God of Fash
ion. Fashionable mamnas did not relish
the speakers thrust at their erly-utter"
sons, But Pauline cared af little for the
opinion of such weak-fninded women as she
did for the opinion of their so1s Fearlessly
she continued, the fire OF 1eloquerice in her
violet eyes growing brighter as she plunged
deeper and deeper into the theme she was
discussing.
Her ideal hero was the man in whose ma
ture were beautifully interviewer the
threads of courage, modesty and gentle
ness, whose character was refined and en-
nobled by the pure and holy influences of the
Christian religion; who scorned titles and
aristocracy if unadorned with Individual
merit; who had the courage to stand by the
widow and the orphan and ward off OPP
preSsion's blows; who, like the compassion
ate Jesus when on earth, was always ready
to speak kindly to the fallen, and lift them
from the darkness and misery of sin to the
light and bleSsedness of virtue: who, in mat
ters of religion politics, etc, was free from
the talnt of bigotry; who held his intellect
in subsection to no MANS, but who, with
fearless and independent spirit, had dug
through the worthless though gil tering ore
of human traditions until he had found the
imperishanle gem of divine truth, and, with
the jewel locked fast in his heart refused
with the firmnesS of a martyr to surrender
the key thereto, even though the fagot
should suddenly kindle at his feet. Such
man as this, declared Pauline, was her
ideal hero, and, amid deafening applause,
the fair valedictorian, loaded with floral
tributes, withdrew to her seat.
Never before had tine girl felt as happy.
The cause of her joy, hewever,. did not
spring from the fiatterirg enthusiasm
evinced by the audience, but from the
steady, interested gaze with which pair of
eloquent dark eyes had regarded her from
the commencement of her essay to its con-
clusion. ''+,
When the exercises were over, Bunyan,
with look of intense pride upon his face,
led his sister to their parents, who received
her with those demonstrations of mingled
pride and affection which warm-hearted
parents cannot repress when their children
have done something commendable.
A host of friends Immediately surround
ed the young lady to offer their congratu-
lations on her having acqutta ID herself so
admirably Among the number was a hand
some young physician named Evans, who
owed his education and his elevation to
aristocratic circles to Mr.. NORRIS. and who
for years had cherished an ardent admira-
ton for the beautiful and talented daughter
of his benefactor. ~ 1oN -
Virgil, holding Milton by the hand, stood
at some distance from the group, debating
in his mind whether he would 60 forward or
not. He feared if he did he might be
thought presumptuous. All, if the world
were blessed with more such personsl
As the two brothers stood thus coarse
laugh fell upon their ears, and, turning
they beheld Fancy Brown and another
malicious-eyed blood standing near.
Hello, Palnen cried the dandy, slapping
Virgil upon the shoulder. Don't be so
backward, old pard. She's waiting for you
TO carry her home. tell you what she gave
us bloods h tonight, didn't She thought
By lingo, you ought to have seen how
those pretty lips cured when her gaze fell
upon me. reckon she thought she would
wither me up! But, come, Tooty," turning
10 MS companion.
So saying, Fancy linked his arm in
Tooty's, and the two walked off, whistling an
air they had learned from tine last variety
troupe which had visited the city.
Virgil glanced contemptuousiy at the
''bloods" as they disappeared through the
doorway, and moment afterward the
crowd surrounding Pauline having dis
perSed, he and Milton crossed to where the
grl and her parents stood. After bowling
to each member of the group Virgil ex-
tended his hand to Pauline and said:
Miss Pauline, al ow me to congratulate
you on your splendid effort tonight. Your
g oquence held me speli-bound and created
within my heart an int se longing to be-
come such man as YOU desert. ed TO be your
idea hero. | think if St. Paul were living
and had been within the sound OF your
voice to night, no would regret having ever
placed his veto upon ladies speaking in pub
lie" t-,7
"Thank-thank you, Mr.. Psine,n muir
INJURED the girl, her face. radiant with
Smiles. .at IC- vt
How sweet were words of praise from the
lip, of the youth she loved! she knew his
uttera ices were from his heart his noble
nature was incapable of fiattSrv. La her
Joy she had entirely ignored the presence
of her little sweetheart as she called
Milton, and the lad, who was very proud
and sensitive for a child of his years, felt
the slight keenly, and resolved not to notice
her. Presently ne turned to his brother
and said peeyishly: sqilf III. ~,